Handle defining closure for paper bags



sept. 25, 1945. G ALLEN HANDLE DEFINING CLOSURE FOR PAPER BAGS Filgd July 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l y VBY ATTO Sept. 25, 1945. H. G, ALLEN v 2,385,597

HANDLE DEFINING cLosURE FOB PAPER BAGS Filed July 3, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 .Il @'75 I "hlm y INVENTOR zvwav'c G. Alien Patented Sept. 25, 1945 HANDLE DEFINING cLosURE Fon PAPER BAGS Howard G. Allen, Niagara Falls, N. Y., assigner to i" Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporaf tion, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 3, 1940, Serial No. 343,771

6 Claims. (C1. 229-762) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in bags and particularly seeks to provide a paper bag having a novel handle portion integral therewith and formed 'from the top portion thereof.

It has been found that heavy bags containing relatively large weights of filled material,` 'such as 25 pounds of flour or sugar, are rather cumbersome and awkward for an individual to carry. This is especially true inthe instances where a retail purchaser mst carry a number of smaller packages in addition to the vheavy bag of our or the like.

Many handles and carrying devices have been heretofore devised to enable a purchaser to carry a heavy filled bag with a minimum of difliculty, but these devices are invariably either separate carrying straps or handle members formed separate from the structure of the bag itself.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a paper bag or the like with a handle portion formed adjacent the closure end of the bag and from the material of the bag itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bag of the character stated in which the handle portion thereof is coextensive with the closure forming portion thereof.

Another object of the invention is to vprovide a bag of the character stated in which the closure forming portion of the collapsed bag mouth includes an upstanding panel portion and a series of connected return fold portions formed integral from the material thereof and disposed tov each side of the upper part of the upstanding panel portion.

Another object of the invention i-s to provide a bag of the character stated in which the return fold portions of the closure end are fastened by securing means located adjacent the ends thereof thereby leaving the central portions thereof free and partly displaceable to form resultant handle portions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lbag of the character stated in which a stiifening element is employed and interposed between the return fold portions of the closure lend to thereby render the handle forming portions capable of only limited displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of forming a handle defining bag cloA sure of the character stated.

' With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will-become morev apparent, the

erence to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of a bag having a handle portion constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one form of stiffening and fastening element that may be employed;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the stiffening element of Fig. 4, the upper end thereof being bent downwardly towards clamping posi'- tion;

Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic views illustrating the successive steps 'in the formation of the handle;

, Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the upper end of a bag including a slightly modified form of handle;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken cn line iZ-IZ of Fig. 11; Y

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the upper end of a bag including a further modified form of handle; and

Fig. 14 is a plan View of aform of fastener which may be employed in place of the staples of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the lnvention as illustrated is embodied in a lled bag 5 having an upstanding collapsed mouth portion 6. The upper edge of the collapsed mouth portion 6 is provided with a lower fold-line'l and a plurality of upper fold lines 8 along which the mouth portion is folded to form a zigzag fold 9 disposed on one side of the collapsed mouth portion and terminating on the other side of the collapsed mouth Dartion 6 in a downwardly extending lip portion l0 provided with an inwardly directed return fold Il. A stiffening and handle forming element I2, formed from sheet metal, cardboard, or the like, extends the full length of the collapsed mouth portion 6 .and is disposed between the outer layer of thel folds thus formed and the return fold Il on one side and the first return fold of the zigzag fold 9 on the other side. The eXtreme end portions of the metallic element I2 may be crimped into fold clamping position, and the central portion of one side of the element I2 and the associated bag material may be bulged outwardly as at I3to thereby invention will be more fully understoodby'ref-f 55 provide'a handle dening portion. In order Vthat recess` 26 as indicated in dotted lines steps which may be employed in the shaping of a handle forming bag closure of this type. In this connection the upstanding collapsed bag mouth 6 is provided with the plurality of spaced parallel crease lines 1, 8, the crease line 1 being formed in a direction opposite to that of the others. That portion of the bag mouth 6 which extends aboveV 'the lowermost crease line 1 is folded overa bulged forming tool I6 and then the remainder of the bag mouth 6 is bent back upon itself along the next crease line 1 to form a first .return zigzag. fold 9. At this stage the stiffening element l2 may be inserted in the bight of the fold B and it will be observed that the -upper edge of the element I2 will be disposed adjacent the uppermost of the creases 8. The end portion 'I I of the collapsed bag mouth 6 is then bent over the upper edge ,of the element I2, after which the element I2 together with its associated portion Vof the collapsed bag mouth is bent overvthe upper apex of the forming tool I to thereby form thetop ridge of the combined handle and closure; then the eXtreme end portions of the folds thus formed are pressed together so that the opposed wall portions of the element I2 will be brought into clampingV relation and theprongs I 4 thereof will pierce the associated layers of paper and eXtendrint'o ,the registering apertures I5 to thereby rigidly retain the element in position and prevent the fol-ded bag mouth thus formed from becoming distorted. @It should be noted that as the extreme ends are pressed into this clamping `or securing position 'the central portions of the folds 9 and the' associated portion of the elementY I2 .are' retained against the forming tool i6 which effects thereby an outward relative bulging of that central portion to dei-lne the carrying or lifting handle I3.

In Figs. l1 and l2 of the drawings thereis illustrated a slightly modified form of handle form- Y ing-closure in which the folds thereof are formed `assise? is entirely feasible to employ spaced fastening plates I9vof the type illustrated in Figs.'13 and 14 of the drawings. I

It should be noted that as a result of disposing the metallic stiffening elements beneath the outer layer of the reinforcing folds, there are no metallic parts whatsoever exposed to the eye and to the air, and consequently the appearance of the finished package is improved and `the danger of staining the external surface of the bag is eliminated.

Thus it will be seen that the herein described invention provides a paper bag with an integrally in the manner heretofore described, but in which Y a stiffening element I1 preferably formed cardboard, replaces the element I2 of fthe -form previously described. In this ,modified form the extreme end portions of therhandleffor'rning -lo'- sure arersecured in'rigid position through the medium of spaced fastening means such as metallic staples generally indicated at I8. V'Ihesta-ples IS'of this modified form vsecure the'end portions of -the fold, but since the Ycardboard stlifenng element I1 has replaced the more `rig-id metallic element in the previous formQit'is unnecessarylizo positively shape a centrally disposedoutwardly bulged handle defining portion. The iimitediiex; ibility of' a cardboard from which the rstiifening element is formed is ample toperrnit the inser-V tion of the `lingers between the folds 9 andthe n upstanding portion 5 of the bag and a consequent displacement of the -central portion Iof the folds 158 outwardly a distance sufficient to define a handle in .Figsfll andlZ.` Y d In some instances it lmay Ybe found undesirable pto usezstaple's as fastening elements; therefore, it

formed handle at ythe closure end thereof, in which the handle portion is coextensive with the closure forming portion of the bag, and Which employs spaced securing means to thereby permit outward displacement of the central portions to define a carrying handle.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement and proportions of parts may .be variously modied without exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

1. A handle-defining closure 4for paper bagsjand fthe like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an upstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each side of said opstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, said reinforcingV folds lbe-` ing yformed integral with said collapsed bag mouth, and la stiffening stripl of shape-retaining material located beneath the outer layers of said reinforcing folds and being'bentfover the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth, the central portion of one of lsaidl reinforcing folds together with the associated portion of said stiffening strip being bulged away from the upstanding portion of said collapsedbag mouth to define with said portion of said mouth a carrying handle.

l 2. A handle-defining closure for paper bags and the like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an upstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each side of said upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, -said reinforcing folds lbeing formed integral withy said collapsed bag mouth, a stiffening Strip of shape-retaining material located beneath the outer layers of .said reinforcing folds and being bent over the opstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth the .central portion of one .of said reinforcing folds together with the associated portion .of saidstiffening strip being bulged away from the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth to'dene with said portion of said .mouth a carrying handle, and means carried by said stiifening strip for engaging the bag material confined thereunder to prevent bodily displacement of said strip .and said reinforcing folds. ,j

3. A handle-defining closure for paperjbags and the like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an npstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each sideV of said -upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, said reinforcing folds being formed integral with said collapsed bag mouth, a stiffening strip of'shapedetaini-ng rnaterial located beneath the outer layers of said portion of said collapsed bag month to denne with said portion of said moutha carryingrhandle, and fastening elements integral. with said strip and penetrating the bag material confined thereunder to secure said yclosure and to prevent displacement ofA said strip and said reinforcing folds.

4. A handle-dening closure for paper bags and the like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an upstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each side of said upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, said reinforcing folds being formed integral with said collapsed bag mouth, and a stiffening strip comprising a metal plate located beneath the outer layers of said reinforcing folds and being bent over the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth to confine said upstanding portion in collapsed condition, the central portion of one of said reinforcing folds together with the associated portion of said stiffening strip being bulged away from the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth to define with said portion of said mouth a carrying handle.

5. A handle-defining closure for paper bags and the like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an upstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each side of said upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, said reinforcing folds being formed integral With said collapsed bag mouth, a stilfening strip comprising a met-a1 plate located beneath the outer layers of said reinforcing folds and being bent over the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth to conne said upstanding portion in collapsed condition, the

central portion of one of said reinforcing folds together with the associated portion of said stirb under to prevent bodily displacement of said strip and said reinforcing folds.

6. A handle-defining closure for paper bags and the like, including a collapsed bag mouth having an upstanding portion, reinforcing folds disposed on each side of said upstanding portion of the collapsed bag mouth, said reinforced folds being formed integral with said collapsed bag mouth, a stiffening strip comprising a metal plate located beneath the outer layers of said reinforcing folds and being bent over the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth .to confine said upstanding portion in collapsed condition, the central portion of one of said reinforcing folds together with the `associated portion of said stiiening strip being bulged away from the upstanding portion of said collapsed bag mouth to define with said portion of said mouth a carrying handle, and fastening elements integral with said stiffening strip and penetrating the bag material confined thereunder to secure said closure and to prevent displacement of said strip and said reinforcing folds.

HOWARD G. ALLEN. 

